Harini ‘Rini’ Raghavan returns to Chennai bringing Carnatic, Jazz and Rock together

In an attempt to make Carnatic music more accessible, Harini and her band promise an evening of Indian Electronica at Barracuda Brew

After a pause of five years, New Jersey based, Chennai born singer, composer and violinist Harini ‘Rini’ Raghavan and her band Rini are back in Chennai to perform a mix of Carnatic music, jazz and rock at Barracuda Brew on February 17.  

Her style — Indian Electronica — is a groovy Carnatic fusion with synth textures. “To me, music is a language to connect with people. It helps break language and cultural barriers and connect as humans,” says New Jersey-based Harini who is returning to Chennai after a pandemic-induced pause.  

Inspired by the sounds of her birthplace, Harini’s first brushwith Carnatic music was at the age of four. At home, an M.S Subbulakshmi song would always linger in the air. “I am so deeply rooted in swarams and ragams that all of my learning of western music theory is from a Carnatic perspective,” explains Harini.  

The band came together in 2015 with members from different countries who were piqued by Indian contemporary music and wanted to coalesce their styles in the genre. The band comprises France’s Maxime Cholley on drums , Brazil’s Marcelo Maccagnan on bass, Malaysia’s Andrew Cheng on the guitar and USA’s Josh Plotner on the saxophone.  

In the five-year-long hiatus from Chennai, Harini has released her Blue Carpet Sessions series with new compositions which will be performed live in Chennai on February 17, Hyderabad on March 3, Bangalore on February 19, 21 and March 4, and Mumbai on Feb 23. The tour will also feature Harini’s musician friends and guest artists from Chennai.

Harini believes her compositions intrinsically, have to do with a journey. “The audience has liked songs like ‘Mango Showers’, the ambient space in ‘The Lost City of Puhar’ (which is about reimagining life in the ancient city of Poompuhar) juxtaposed with futuristic elements from electronic synths. I also have my own version of the Carnatic song ‘Raghuvamsa Sudha’ which is very upbeat.”

Tickets priced at ₹ 499 are available at Insider.in